Welcome to the Anti-Preview for Notre Dame’s game against Maryland at FedEx Field in Washington DC. Friends, don’t look now, but the Fighting Irish are on a little bit of a roll. Notre Dame has won two in a row after a very flat loss to Southern Cal, and six out of their last seven. The Irish are doing all of this, and you would think that they lost 5 in a row. Fans aren’t happy, and in general, the media give ND the big “meh.”

With all of that, Notre Dame still has a chance to make it to a BCS game. Don’t fuck this up for me. I don’t want to hear about any scenario or ranking (or lack there of) right now. All I want to know, is that there is still a chance. It matters, and it really matters to these players. They need that something extra to fight for (as all teams do) and a BCS bowl would at least be one giant goal that they could still attain.

Next up on that march to the BCS…

Maryland. What is there to say about the mighty Terrapins- other than they are horrible. They have a wide selection of jerseys at their disposal? Wide and ugly.

Really, Maryland is getting what it probably deserves. They fired Ralph Friedgen after a 9 win season and a coaching tenure that saw Maryland gain national respect. Then, they go hire a guy who said Maryland was his “dream job.” That man is Randy Edsall. Edsall gained national notoriety for getting his UConn team to constantly overachieve in a very bad BCS conference, the Big East.

Maryland is 74th in the country in total offense, and they rank 102 in total defense. This is a bad team. Still, they do have a few playmakers, and sometimes team that have nothing to play for, other than to beat Notre Dame- beat Notre Dame.

I can’t shake that god damn Chuck Davieham era.

What should you be eating? Notre Dame is playing Maryland in our nation’s capital; so you would think that I would go off on some crab this and crab that… FUCK THAT SHIT! The Fighting Irish can eat those “Victory Crab Legs” later. We are going to shuck some shells. (No turtle eating please). OYSTERS!

Over a small bowl, shuck oysters, strain and reserve the liquid and the shells.

Combine the butter and water and cook over medium heat until butter has melted. Add the leeks and cook until slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cream and reduce until it thickens slightly, stirring continuously, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm in a bowl over hot water.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. In another saucepan over medium heat, combine the reserved oyster liquid and Guinness and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. With the motor running, add the egg yolks and lemon juice, then slowly drizzle in the melted butter and process until thickened.

Preheat the broiler. Place the reserved oyster shells on a baking sheet. Divide the creamed leeks evenly into the shells and top with an oyster. Spoon the Guinness hollandaise sauce over each and place under the broiler until the sauce is browned and bubbling. Serve 4 oysters per person.

What should you be drinking? Well, it would be pretty silly to eat Guinness Hollandaise Oysters while sipping on a whiskey sour (or maybe not). So go ahead and grab a Guinness. If you still need a little something else- you can always just do this, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat…

Irish Stew: Maybe you didn’t hear… The Shamrock Series is in full effect. Notre dame will wear green jerseys, and a special Trapper Keeper gold helmet with a shamrock. I think they look fucking TIGHT YO! Not only that, but we can get in on the action. See HERE. Or you can just drool over the image below:Also, Darius Fleming will wear #46 in honor of classmate, teammate, and fellow Chicagoan; Steve Filer. Filer suffered a season ending injury during practice this week, ending his career at Notre Dame. BROTHERHOOD.

What scares the shit out of me?Maryland has nothing to lose Injuries. Notre Dame has once again been bit by the injury bug towards the end of the season. Some are really bad and will end seasons, and some just suck and will nag the players. I am scared shitless of Notre Dame continuing to get hurt before the Stanford showdown. Stay healthy boys!

Defensive MVP: Stephon Tuitt. In my eyes, Stephon Tuitt has done nothing but get better and better each and every week. The Irish can use him inside and out as his beastmode size and freak athleticism allows him to play at a high level for a freshman. A freshman. Tuitt is asked to do an awful lot for being a true freshman, but he keeps delivering. He will get a big fill of Turtle soup on Saturday.

Offensive MVP: Mike Golic Jr. We have already talked in great lengths about what a good job Golic did coming into the game for an injured Braxston Cave against Wake Forest. He looked great. Sometimes, a player just needs to show what he is capable of in live game action. In other words, ya gots to let a playa play! I think the steadiness that Golic will bring to a line that has been really, really good is huge for the irish. This is the unit that carries this team, and Golic will shine.

Something else to watch for on Saturday Night… Two things actually:

Jamoris Slaughter. If Notre Dame has problems on the edge, like they have most of the season, will they revert back to using Slaughter in the “dog/nickel”? Me thinks so, but I wonder how long it will take.

Andrew Hendrix. Is this the game we see a return of Hendrix? Will Kelly use him early in the game, or will it be in the second half- or at ALL?

At the end of the night… Notre Dame is still too powerful in the trenches for Maryland to handle. The running game will once again be emphasized, and the defense should smother any type of turtle race. Irish win 40-20. Look for TOMA TIME!